Fishing sinker



g- 26 1952 c. L. H'INKSON 2,608,017

FISHING SINKER Filed April 5, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 3nnentor CLAIR L. HINKSON Bu 2 a 2 (IttomegS Aug. 26, 1952 c. HINKSON 2,608,017

FISHINGSINKER Filed April 5, 1947 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 3nventor 1 19-13 I CLAIR L. HINKSON attornegs 6, 1952 c. L. HINKSON 2,608,017

FISHING SINKER Filed April 5, 1947 4 sheets-sheet 5 Snuentpr CLAIR L. H/NKSON Iig 15 BI attorneys 0. HINKSON FISHING SINKER Aug. 26, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 5, 1947 Zinnentor CLAIR L. HINKSON (Ittornegs Patented Aug. 26, 1952 2,608,017 FISHING SINKER Clair L. Hinkson, Seattle, Wash, assignor to 'Hinkson Mfg. 00., S

ship

cattle, Wash, a partner- Application April 5, 1947, SerialNo. 739,589 7 6 Claims. (01.43-44.88)

This invention relates to trolling sinkers used in fishing, of a type adapted to be released for sliding down the line or to be detached completely therefrom, when a fish strikes. In illustrated forms of the invention the sinker is adapted for connection to the line to effect either-type of release, depending upon the desire of the fisherman to expend or jettison the weight completely to enhance the sport of playing the fish and the likelihood of catching same, or to conserve the weight for subsequent use. In'the latter case of slidable release, where the weight merely slides down the line to near the hook'en'd, the fisherman is thereby permitted to reel in the line through the pole tip guide up to the leader or further, and

is also otherwise better able to sense movements- I of the fish than were the weight to intervene, it being noted that in salmon fishing and the like it is usually desirable to have a considerable length of line and/or leader between sinker and a hook.

The principal object of the invention is to rovide an improved fishing sinker adapted for use, at the choice of the fisherman, either as a slide sinker or as a detachable sinker in landing a fish.

Another object is to provide sinker weight means and coacting line guide means detachable from such weight means, and to provide an improved arrangement of sinker weight, line cli means and line guide means in sinkers of the releasable stacles, and at the same time in allowing a fish,

to release the sinker readily.

The invention, including various novel features thereof and details of construction, will now be described by reference to the accompanying drawings and thereafter will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Figure l is a side elevation view of one form of sinker embodying the invention, shown connected to a fishing line for expenditure of the sinker weight when a fish strikes. side view of the same sinker, shown partly in longitudinal section, connected to be released only for sliding along the line when a fish strikes,

and Figures 3, 4, and 5 are a plan view and perspective views respectively, of the same sinkershowing its various details of'co struct on.

Figure 2 is a.

Figures 6, 8 and 10 are side elevation views, and Figures 7, 9 and 11 are corresponding fragmentary plan views, illustrating the steps of the preferred method of connecting the line to the sinker clip, Figure 12 being a fragmentary plan view showing the final connection. Figures 13 to 15,'inclusive, are views showing the succeeding stages in the process by which the sinker weight is expended or jettisoned from the line when the sinker has previously been rigged as shown in Figure 1 and the line released from the clip by the strike of a fish.

Figure 16 is aside elevation view showing the relationship of the same sinker to the line when the sinker has been rigged as in Figure 2 and released for sliding down the line.

Figure 17 is a side elevation view of a modified form of sinker embodying features of the invention, in which form it is adapted to be released either for sliding orfor expenditure, as. desired.

In this figure it is shown connected for the latter type of release. Figure 18 is a fragmentary side elevation view of the same sinker during process of being jettisoned from the line, and Figure. 19 is a plan View of the. same sinker when released only for sliding along the line.

Figure 20 is a fragmentary end perspective view showing an alternative position of the sinker line clip, in a sinker of the Figure 1'? type, and Figure 20A shows a different hitch.

Figure 21 is a fragmentary side elevation view of a sinker having a modified form ,of'line clip.

Figure 22 is a fragmentary perspective view showing an alternative positioning or orientation of the line clip relative to the main' axis of-a sinker weight member, and Figure 23 is a fragmentary plan viewof the same, showing the preferred mannerof holding the line in the clip.

downwardly to an angular'lower edge, givingit somewhat of a keel-like appearance.

At the respective ends of the weight member,

respectively, are positioned similar detachable line guides 14 and I6. Each of such guides comprises an eye-loop portion28, a, guide stem 3!], and a hook portion 32 the shank of which is disposed generally parallel to the stem 30 and the hook end of which is turned inwardly toward such stem These members are formed of resilient wire, and in their preferred, illustrated form they 7 are constructed with the running ends of their between the inner coil convolution and the side of the weight member is not critical butis-sufficient to pass a bight of line between the ends or :legs 126 .of :the clip, beneath the :coil. A loop of line inserted :in the clip between the adjacent coilisections, :or clip jaws will be pinched and held there; by the eresilient force of the clip, against'ithe'ordinary working tensionin the :line :tendingrto;re1easelitfrom the-clip.

iEort-receiving the rline guides the weight 'meinb'er t iis'iprovideda't its :ends' with clongitudina'lly #exten'ding t -'guide-.=stem rholes 36 opening into 'Inotches 38 in the ends :of thesinker ?body -20, in

which are inserted the ibases'ofthe-eye-looos"2 8. Also provided are recesses 40 anda djacently c atedlhook-retaining sockets-42 into whichalterm'aitivelyLmay be :lodged the correspondingguide hooks altthe ends :of ethe'esinker. The recesses increase in depth away rfrom the ends of the 'ssinkeni which conformation tends to :hold the "guide rhooks :plac'ed "therein, thereby preventing the guides from slipping out :of place o'f their mw-iisaccor :or :with only 'slightipu'll on "the line eifiplied to the guide. However, with the ends of tlre'fho'ok's in "their 1 alternate positions, namely ihthe sockets -'2,".the zguides may not be 'withdrawn from the 'weig'htrmember il ll,'whichris the case wh'en it :has :been :elected to conserve the sinker wei ht upon'relea'se'of fthe Jinefrom the 'clip :Prin'cipally :asia convenience in :forming'E-the wei l'it m'ember Flt), the :socket :holes 42 6f a uide ook retained in its socket'ithe corres ondin griid'e eve-loco Lis -normal1v restin well' within the:COITBSDOnflingJnOtCh 38, with o'nlv the forward mortion fdf eye loop .pro

j 'j'e'ctin' outwardly itherefrom.

- 1 In Figure 1 the uidebooks are shown en agin' 'their 'cdrresnon din recessesi'a nd the linehas ween soiri e dlin' th'e clip and guides and secured to lthe forward guide M. that the s nker" weight memberimav be ex ended, comnletely released if from .the u'i'd'es and line, when the line has been ermed from E the c'li'o :bv Ithe i'force of the .:strike -of a fish tens onin'g the trailing :Stretch ::of :rline passing from the icli o through the-seye iofitheirear uide. L In thefillvist'rate'd :manner fOf".S8ICUTiIl2 or Lhitdhing Ith'e' line to' thei'forward "guide,ithe:'line, which has first" been threaded :through itheeeyei-loop by :pressing it ":through tthe :crossover, is

wrapped around "the guide at "and wedgedfinto athe :cros'sover :where it isheld' whilezpulling: the

ill)

r 4 sinker through the water. While the line is held in the clip behind the forward guide such guide may not be pulled from the weight member. When the line is released from the clip, the forward guide may be pulled free by a forward pull on the line, after which the weight will drop,

swinging on the arearzguid'e to drop 3' free thereof.

'In Figure --2, :the guide ho'oks are shown engaging their corresponding sockets in the weight member, and the line has been rigged in the guides and clip so that the sinker may be free to slide down the line when a tug on the trailing zendrof theilin'e releases it from the clip. In this case .the line iis::simply threaded through the guide eyes, preferably by forcing it through the :crossovers of the respective guides.

In rigging or connecting the line into pinching-engagement with the clip I 8 in the preferred manner, the followingmethod is followed, as in ,Figures 'fi through 12, whereit isiassumed that the line *has already been threaded through the -eyesof the guides l4 and 16. As a firstestep a zbight is :forrned andrpassed throughthe space-between :the clip-legs 25 under theclip coil, irom the side of'the clipi-from which-the-rearward support 'or leg extends into the *coil and thence around to the forwar leg joining the .other end of the coil, far enoughuto begrasped easily betweenthe .fingersfrom the other side of the (clip, has -in Figures 6 and =7. The next-step .is ;.to ,grasp the leading stretch of line '44 inone hand :and theiorwardiside A5 of the-.bightinthe-iother hand and :then rforce the intervening eline upwardly through the' rearopening of the :clip-between the proximate Lcoil section and ,rear leg thereof, :forwardly through the :clips jaws and then downwardly zto-the point where that sideof the :bigbt escapes from the jaws. lnthis position the -line is doubled back around the ;-lower part of the coil convolution, as shown at both in Figure-B and :Figure 9. N

Following this, the other sidewof the bightSfi is zdrawn upwardly and forwardly-through the 4 clip :3 aws by tensioning the line: between-such side and the rearward stretch 52, :bri nging theline into the position shown Figures LlO-and-ll, forming loop or -bightx5l extending "outwardly from the coil 'of the clip. :In :this position, :at least the runningrendr-attherear side ofthe' loop is gripped tightly between the clips jaws and =the-other, forward or :downward .e nd preferably is free so thatitmay'be drawn in .by a .forward pull on the line 44.

The rigging-of the clip then completed :by drawing (the leading stretch :of line 744 forwardly until*the=bight-or loop 5| is brought to restedvjacent .to the "clip coil, preferably being wedged .in the peripheral treentrant jgroove' formedbetween the adj-acentcoilsections18' and I8" comprising the clip jaws, as shown in Figure 1;2 A bightof line is thus-clamped between the'jaws of the clip and the trailing stretch of the 'line 52, proceeds freelya and substantiallylinearly. rearwardly from the clip whereas the forward or leading stretch of the line in proceeding forwardlye must double be ck around 'the coil ,of theclip, through its eye. Because of the resultingdifier- -ence in sliding friction applied to the forward andrearward stretches of line owing'to the differences in angleiof wrap of the line around the forwardend .-rearward ,parts of the clip release of .the .line vloop -from "the .clip may be effected with 5 a factor-.ofeasimuch asfour-or monitor-ene giepending upon the thickness and material of the line and theconstruction of the clip." This difference tends tofpreventaceidental -releaseof the sinker when it is dragged against a submerged.

log 'or other'ob'st'acle in the water although it may be released readily by the strike of a fish. Whenthe fisherman elects to have'the sinker 'jettis oned the 'line will be hitched to the forward clip, as described with reference to Figure 1, fixed in; the line clip and threaded through the eye of the rear line guide;-

The guide hooks will be positioned in their corresponding weight recesses. During'release of 'the'sinker'the line is first extracted from the'c'l ip, by the tug of a fish, the

weight member to drop to the bottom. This sequence may be seen from Figures 13 to 15, in

which-Figure 13 shows the line released from the clip and the forward line guide l4 partly withdrawn from the body l0. A sharp tug on the line by the fisherman will complete the release of this guide, because of the resistance to forward movement of'the sinker owing particularly to the'large are'aof its leading face. In Figure 14 the forward guide has been withdrawn completely and the sinker weight is in the process of dropping. I The guide has'been spun about by the tension of the line so that it is now unhitched and'fr'e'e to slide downwardly on the line. In Figure 15 the release of 'theweight member ID has beensubstan'tially completed by reason of the pull on the rear guide resulting from the weight of the weight'member aided by tugs on the line. When' finally free of the rear guide the'weight will drop and the line guides slide downwardly as the fish is played and landed.

Later, the same line guides may be used in connecting another sinker weight to the line to retending through the guides-lengthwise of the sinker, as in Figure 16, and the sinker thereby will be enabledto slide downwardly to the trailin'g end of the line where it will offer little hinder- -ance to the fisherman in landing the fish.

- It i's' to be noted that a slidable release of the "sinker may be effected also by inserting the for- "ward guide hook in itsrecess, the rearward guide hook in its socket and then rigging the-line as if it were to be jettisoned, namely threading it through 'the -rear guide eye-hitching it to the front guide and-pinching abight of line in the clip. Upon' release, the sinker will hang on the line from the rearguide, in vertical position, in

which 'it-will slide downwardly on the line.

For sinkers-of smaller size a modified construction is preferred, Thisis shown in Figures 17 and 18, where the sinker comprises a sirnilar wei ht; member andline clip l8 but only a single detachable-guide Hjmounted forwardly of the line clip preferably at the upper leading edge of the sinker. With this type of sinker a bight of line is clamped between the jaws of the clip l8, as before, but the line need not be tied to the line guide, it being sufiicient merely to the sinker weight carrying the clip dropping away the clip I8.

' 6 pass it through the'eye of such -guide,-where jettisoning the weightiswdesired. Figure-18 shows the line released from its clip [8 andltthe endof from the line, and the guidehook is'beingretracted from its recess 40. Alternatively theJg-uide hook may be connected in its socket forslidable release of the sinker. In-Figure ;19,'the same sinker is shown suspended from the lineby. the

forward guide hook thus connected and-thi'eaded through by the line, after release of the lineby The further modified sinker the trailing end of which is shown in Figure 20 is similar to that of Figure 1'7 with the principalexception that the line clip projects rearwardly from thetrail ing end wall ofthe weight memberi l0 instead, of

outwardly :from" its :side. The-line may beheld in the clipas before, by pinching a bight of line between the clip jaws; This maybe accomplished by first inserting a bight through/the opening beneath the coil of the-clip from the side fromwhich the lower leg of the. clipproceeds into the coil and therearound-to the other side of the clip where the coiljoins the other, upper leg. Considering the upper leg asthe .forward leg in Figures 8, 9, 10, etc.,.the.clip rig gin procedure will be the same inrompleting the connection as described byreference to those figures. When thus connected, the line maybe released readily by the tug of a fish and resisted relatively by pulls on the portion of the. line forward of the clip. Such forward line portion will be deflected in passing from the clip [8 over the straight upper edge of the trailing endof the weight member It], adding to the frictional resistance and thus making it more difficult to pull the line from the clip by a forward pull than by a rearward pull. The friction on the forward portion of the line may be furtherincreased by wrapping it around the sinker bodyas shown-in Fig. 20A, in which case the line may merelybe passed straight between the jaws l8 and 48''. of the clip [8, instead of clamping a bight of the 'line.

which one of the legs 60 or supporting members, the rearward one,.of the clip described heretofore is spaced from the sinker body, makingit possible to secure the line in the clip without threading a loop beneath its eye.

In Figures 22 and 23 another variation is shown, in which the form of the clip firstldescribed is preserved but the generalplane of th'e clip loop is now disposed transversely of the long dimension of the sinker. This arrangement may be used with either type sinker, having front and rear line guides, or a front line guide alone, the clip projecting outwardly from the weight member. j Various ,other intermediate angles of orientation of the clip between the positions shown respectively inFigures 1 and 22 maybe employed 'if'it be so desired. v

With respect to, the selected shape of the Weight member, theinclined, fiat disc-like head,

f fairing into the taperedbody portion; has a vane effect, making the i sinkerthe equivalent fof a much heavier sinker in determ' s ithedepth :which it seeks inthewateri -Mo're'oventhe large ageoe cw 4 been p'ulled ifforn the clip upon the strike of a fish: Expen'diiig the' sinker wei'ght -'is not as 'costly with T the rorm 'descrlbed as it gt'ht "be iwith other 'forms where "a greater'ainount of dead or 7 other weight inaterial would 'be required zito sink 'th'e line tothesame'depth during trolling. :I-Ioiveve'r, various other for-iris or sinkerarepossibl'e within theprinciples-of the invention. What I claim is: ;-T:1.'-Tl'ie-method of lodging a bight of fish'ing line -iel'eas'ablyb'e'twen parallel resilient 'eoi-Is 6f a sinker clip having a generally straight ektem sin" p'ortion continuing from the end of one onizer coil, comprising forming a linebight, 259;sSi-iig 'siich line bight through the re-entrant j pa e' defined between said extension portion 'd the"-adjajcenft*side of said outer coil, circumer'itiall'y 'w'e'dging one side 'of Such bight between said bute'r coil and the adjacent coil, sliding such bight side circumferentially between and a'rou'nd the coils in the direction away from such r'e entran't space, and finally drawing'up'on "the line to shorten the bight and lay it alonga --"s'e'g'ment of the pe'ripheral groove formedbeween'saidiadjacent coils pinching the line between them, the bight thus pinched between said coils-being releasable therefrom by 'a'pull on"th'e line in excess of "a predetermined force, s'iii'fici'eritto draw the bight completely through the-pin'ching c'oil sides.

i'ng sinker comprising an elongated "weightmember, line guide means normally 'car ""ri'edby one'end of said'w'eight member, 'an'dline clipf'm'earis carried by said weight member 'at'ia loca'tion "spaced lengthwise thereof from "said fli -means, said line guide means being separable "rrom said weight member after "release of "the ffisliing line from said clip means, said separable "line-"guide means comprising 'a line .guide loop p'ortio'n, a guide stem portion projecting from *sa idloopportion, and a resilient hooked portio'n projecting from 'said loop portion generally parallel fto said stem. portion, the projecting end of 's'aid-ho'oked portion being turned inwardly towardsaid stem portion, said one end of "said "weightin'ember having therein a generally longitudihal "hole receiving said stem portion, said weight member further having therein 'a side Teqessreceiving the inturnedprojecting end of '"siufho'okeu-portion, such "rece'ss increasing in ii thfaway from'theste'm-receiving end of the "weight member, whereby the latter is gripped .resiliently between said hookan'd stem portions, "'andth'eguide means is separable from the weight "member by "pulling such guide means longitudinally iand away from said end of the weight member 'thus receiving such means.

i I "3. The fishing sinker defined in claim'2'wherein the loopportion of the separable line guide means "'formsa closed eye-loop and the weight "member further has'an 'eye-loop-receiving notch in the entrance location of the stem-receiving hole.

4."A fishing sinker comprising an elongated weight member, lin'e guide means normally 'car- "iied by oneend of said weight member, and line "clipmeans carried by said weight member at a -location spaced lengthwise thereof from said clip-means, saidline guide means being separable 1mm said weight member after release of the --Number fishing linej from said clip means, said separable 'line :"guide' means, comprising a line guide loop ,portiong-za Iguide stem portion projecting irem said loop portion, anda resilient hooked portion projecting from said loop portion generally paral lelt'o saidv stem portion, the projecting end of said hooked portion being turnedinwardly 'towardsaid stem portion, said one en*d-..-of i$aid weight member having therein a generally longitudinal Jholereceiving said stem portion, said weight member'iurther having therein a side socket; receiving; the inturned projecting end .of said hooked portion to secure "said guide means to said weight member until said inturned end is pulled, from said socket at will. r

-5., The -fi'shi-ngsinker defined in =o1aim 4 wherein the weight member-additionally includes 'a side recess alternatively receiving the inturned pro- ;iecting'endof the-hooked portion, such recessincreasing-in depth away fromthe'stem-receiving end of the weight membenwhereby the latter is gripped resiliently between said hooked and stem portions, and the guide means is separable from the-weight member by pulling such guide means longitudinally away from said end of the weight member and thereby withdrawing said stem portion from the longitudinal hole --in-said weight member and -sim-ultaneouslywithdrawing said hooked portion from said side recess.

6. In a fishing sinker, an elongated weight member having in "one end t-hereof a generally -'-longitudi=nal bore of a depth-iequal-to a substantial portion-of the length of said weight mem- "ber, said weight member further having therein a side-bore extending transversely thereof generally perpendicular to said longitudinal bore and spaced from said end of the weight member bya substantial portion of its length, and" said weight member further having an elongated side recess therein, substantially ofmaximum depth at the general lengthwise location of said side bore and gradually and progressively decreasing in depth toward said end of the weight member.

' CLAIR L. HI NKSON.

J'REFERENCESCITED v Q The renewing nferences are or -recbr'd n; the

rm mp smresimmnrs Name Date "188,755 Reclfield I as :Mar. 27(1877 3371311- -Mar. 2-, '1886 546,771 ept.24, 1895 656431 Stewart Aug. 21, 1990 898,784 Rosenberg Sept. 15,-1908 993,773 Grabau m May- 30, 1911 1,193,077 Schoonmaker b. Aug. 1,1916 338,953 Odell May 4,1920 1;564,147 Stickley Dec. 1, 1925 2,115,802 Chochard Apr, 26, -1938 2,135,847 'Ros'enquist Nov. 8, 1938 2,163,936 Cunningham June 27, 1939 "2,217,972 "Smith's; Oct; 15, 1946 2,326,876 Miller Aug.;17, 1943 2,399,298 Sevigny- Apr.30, 1946 2,484,357 1 Schwenk '-Oct.=-=11,-=1:949

. "FQREIG A 'T' TT Nu mberp 1 Country :Date

36136143 I -Great Britain-ema nifier/2e19,; Q1931 

